


Healthy Spirits

by yukyunglovebot



Category: One Direction
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ghosts, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-27
Updated: 2015-07-27
Packaged: 2018-04-11 12:28:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4435499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yukyunglovebot/pseuds/yukyunglovebot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Niall lives alone, which means no one to tell him what to do and definitely no one telling him what to eat. Or so he thought.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Healthy Spirits

Two weeks into the summer, and Niall was bored out of his mind. He should have expected it though. Most of his friends had gone on holiday overseas, and those who hadn’t were visiting their families, leaving Niall with nothing to do, or anyone to do nothing with. In reality, he could’ve gone out and found some new friends, or better yet, gone to his mom’s house for the summer (she assured him his room was always ready and she wouldn’t mind having him home again.) but why would he want to do that? He had been living on his own for a little under six months and he’d look like a baby if he was to go back and live with mommy now. So he was left to suffer in solitary silence, too proud to go home and too reluctant to make new friends. 

He took no notice of time though, the two weeks flying by in a whiz of junk food, video game, and TV series binges, as well as all-nighters and constant lie-ins.As Niall got out of bed, he checked the time. 11:58 am. Too late to have breakfast and he definitely wasn’t going to make himself an entire meal now. ‘Well there’s no harm in ordering in,’ he thought. And that would’ve been correct if that wasn’t the third time in two days he had had his food delivered to his doorstep. You see between all the video games an TV series Niall hadn’t really found the time to cook himself a proper meal. If Niall was being honest, he hadn’t eaten a properly healthy meal since he had moved out of his mom’s house, only surviving off of take-outs and hurriedly made cheese sandwiches.He sighed, putting his phone down after placing his order. The pizza would be here in 20 minutes, enough time for Niall to take a shower, and maybe clean up a bit. He walked into the bathroom, stripping down before he opened the hot water. Steam filled up the bathroom as he waited for the water to reach his desired level in the tub. He got in, the water slightly burning him, but becoming more comfortable as he relaxed into the tub. He turned his head towards the mirror above his sink, almost jumping out when he saw the writing in the steam. ‘Pizza isn’t very healthy, breakfast or not…xx’ was written into the steam, in neat cursive. Niall looked around nervously. He lived alone, he knew that very well, and he hadn’t heard anyone sneak into the bathroom. So how did the writing get on the mirror? Niall stood there for a while,before deciding to get dressed and wait for the pizza. He erased the writing, taking one last look around before he went into his room to change.

The doorbell rang soon after he had finished dressing, signalling the arrival of the pizza. Niall paid for the pizza, tipping the delivery boy and wishing him a happy summer.He set the box down on the counter, scrolling through his phone and checking his messages. Niall opened the box, pulling off a slice, great amounts of cheese slipping off as he struggled to keep from making a mess. He bit into it, savouring his treat, when he remembered the words written on his mirror.He shuddered, feeling as if someone was watching him. He turned around, surprised to see that he was shocked that no one was there. “Well what did you expect,” he mumbled to himself,”You live alone remember?”.

The rest of the day went by seemingly uneventful,until of course he went back into the bathroom. He hadn’t gone into the bathroom the whole day. And no, he was not scared of whatever the hell wrote on his bathroom mirror. No he wasn’t scared at all, he just hadn’t had to pee the entire day really. Amazing what you could put off when you had a full day of video games and tv series.He entered the bathroom, ‘accidentally’ leaving the door open, only a bit though, so he could see into the hallway. He did what he had to and went over to the sink, giving his hands a good wash before he looked up into the mirror again. He was taken by surprise though, when he looked up and saw some writing in mist. He knew that someone had to have breathed on his mirror, because the mist was slowly creeping inwards, dissipating and erasing the writing as it did so. Niall, despite hi fear was curious as to what was written on the glass, so he breathed onto the area where he though the words might be. ‘It may be summer but you really need to eat better, sincerely a friend who is slightly concerned about your health :)’. Niall turned his head wildly, looking for any intruders, but the room was quiet the only noise being Niall’s heavy breathing as he tried to calm himself. “Alright, I don’t know why you’re doing this, but you’re scaring the shit out of me so can you please show yourself,” Niall breathed out, barely ale to contain the sense of wild panic that was overtaking him.

He shivered, feeling goosebumps rise on his arms as a slight breeze washed over him, slamming the lid down on the toilet. 

“That’s it,” he said, the panic finally setting in, “if you don’t show yourself, I’m calling the police.”

“Okay, okay calm down,” came a voice from the toilet side of the room.

he turned towards the voice, a shriek coming from him, when he realised that there, on the toilet that had been vacant not even two minutes ago, sat a young man. He looked about Niall’s age, with shoulder length brown hair, bright green eyes and fairly tanned skin. He seemed to shimmer, though something that surprised Niall a fair bit, not as much as how the hell he got into Niall’s bathroom in the first place.

“You wanna know how I got into your house right?”the man asked, his voice calm, almost detached, as if he’d done this a thousand times before.

“No shit, buddy, you just show up in my house, writing strange messages on my mirror of course I want to know who the hell you are.”

“You won’t believe me,” the man sang.

“Just tell me, or I’m calling the police,” Niall said in an aggravated tone, sounding slightly impatient.

“Alright, so my name’s Harry. And I’m a ghost,” 

“I call bullshit,” Niall interjected his face a mixture of annoyed and slighlty amused.

“Umm what? You can’t just call bullshit on my story.”

“Yea I can if it sounds like a bullshit story.” Niall answered, clearly enjoying aggravating the stranger.

“Okay then, if my story’s bullshit touch me.” Harry smirked, a dimple appearing in his cheek.

“What. That’s weird mate. You can’t just show up in my house, try to feed me some bullshit story about being a ghost, and then ask me to touch you,” it was Niall’s turn to feel slightly outraged.

“Do it come on. touch me. Put your hand right here on my chest,”Harry pointed at the patch of chest showing where the top few buttons of his shirt were undone. 

Now Niall wasn’t opposed to the idea of touching him at all. He actually wanted to know what his skin would feel like, to feel it ripple beneath his finger as he traced each of the distinctive tattoos on his upper body. 

“Hurry up then, I haven’t got all night. Well technically speaking I have all eternity but I have things to do, you know. People to haunt, obscure objects to throw around, generic ghost stuff,” Harry chuckled to himself, as if he had just told the world’s greatest joke. Niall inched forward tentatively, slowly reaching a hand out towards his skin, tension building up as his hand got closer and closer to his skin. Niall finally reached, his chest, but instead of touching warm skin, his hand passed right through, a cold feeling rushing up his arm as it did so.

“What the hell!”

“I told you I’m a ghost,” Harry gloated, with barely concealed delight,

“Alright shit you’re a ghost, what’s your story. Fuck,” Niall paled, still cradling the hand that had passed through Harry.

“What,”

“You didn’t die here or some shit? Right, Please tell me you aren’t some vengeful spirit looking to exact revenge on whoever moves into this house. Oh fuck, please tell me you’re not going to kill me,” Niall breathed out with barely concealed panic, the room spinning before him.

“Oh heavens no,” Harry reassured, a look of concern taking over his features. “And are you going to let me finish my story, you interrupted me a while ago actually,” Harry said, sounding offended.

“Right, carry on.”

“Okay, so my name’s Harry. And no I’m not a vengeful ghost or anything. I just kind of died, like two summers ago or something,one minute I was alive, the next minute I was dead” he shrugged unsure of the details of his own death. 

“But my death is irrelevant really. All you need to know is that I’m dead now, and actually extremely drawn to your house.There’s just something about it,”Harry said, giving Niall a look that made him think it something may have drawn him here but someone was keeping him there.

“Alright, so you’re a ghost. But why are you leaving all these messages on my mirror. Are you a hippie?”

“No I’m not a hippie,” Harry spat the words out, seeming offended that Niall would call him that.

“Hippies get stoned and do weird things. No I am just someone who likes to take care of themselves and eat right. And that’s what I’m here to help you do. Eat right. You don’t know how hard it is to not throw something at you every time you eat one of those goddamn pizzas or burgers,” Harry shuddered, as if it was absolutely one of the worst things Niall could do.

“Okay.. but how are you going to do that. I literally have no ingredients for full meals, fyi.”

“I know. But you have a car and a money in the bank don’t you?”

Niall nodded, unsure of where Harry was going with this. 

“Well, then let’s go buy some ingredients,” Harry’s face lit up, clearly excited at the prospect of going grocery shopping.

“I don’t know if you realised but it’s 8 at night. No grocery stores are going to be open right now.”

“Well then we’ll go to a Walmart , those are open really late, and we’re not getting anything extensive just basics you know,” Harry said, bobbing up an ddown with excitement. (okay as far as I know Walmart is never open that late at night but just go with it for the purpose of this piece)

“Go wait at the car, while I grab my keys and shit,”

Harry obliged, disappearing before Niall could say anything more.

Niall and Harry got in the car,Niall revving the engine before they started their journey. Harry looked out the window at the city lights passing them by, seeming slightly upset.

“Do you miss it,” Niall asked, sensing his change in mood.

“Miss what?”

“Being alive, I mean, you don’t have to say anything it’s kind of an intrusive question and I don’t want to make you uncomfortable or anything,” Niall babbled, cheeks flushing as he snuck a look at Harry.

Harry sighed, his breath fanning over the window, “I guess I do,” he said turning to Niall while he fiddled with the rings on his fingers.

“I mean, I don’t even know how I died, it sucks. I can’t do much without scaring the absolute shit out of people. And I have no friends. I know that seems highly unlikely what with my charming personality and all, but no one wants to be friends with a ghost.” Harry finished, a longing look in his eyes. 

“I’m sorry about that mate,” Niall said, awkwardly reaching out to pat him on the thigh before realising his mistake. 

“But on the plus side we’re here,” Niall continued as he pulled into the parking lot of the Walmart.

Niall locked the car, grabbing a basket, as Harry guided him towards the vegetable aisle. The store was pretty much empty, the only people in it being a group of teenagers, the bored looking girl at the check out and a ragged mom and her son, who was whining about Airheads. 

“Okay so only the basics buddy, I’m a college kid not a superstar.”

Harry wandered down the aisle, picking up a packet of rocket. 

“Mommy what’s that?” the little boy asked, pointing at the rocket floating up in the air. The mom’s eyes widened as she grabbed the little boys shoulder’s ushering her son away, and muttering about getting more sleep.Niall looked over at Harry.

“Holy shit,” He half yelled.Harry looked up, slightly confused.

“Don’t do that. Christ, I don’t think anyone else can see you,” Niall explained running a hand through his hair.

“Oh sorry.” 

Harry chuckled slightly looking at Niall. 

“What,”

“Oh it’s nothing it’s just that you look really weird talking to a packet of floating rocket,”

Niall smiled. Yeah he guessed that would look kind of weird to the people around him. 

The rest of the shopping trip continued like this, Niall having to remind Harry to not pick up stuff, and Harry constantly telling Niall that No, he didn’t need that packet of crisps, and No he definitely didn’t need a pack of gummy sweets. Eventually, they made their way to the till, having gotten everything that they needed. Niall paid the girl, Harry distracting him by whispering a running commentary of every action Niall took, an entertaining affair that Niall couldn’t properly enjoy for fear of freaking out the checkout girl. He loaded their goods into the car,then they started their journey back home, Niall drumming his fingertips on the steering wheel, while Harry hummed along to the radio.

They got home and unloaded the groceries, packing them away, and vowing to use them tomorrow, seeing as it had gotten so late. 

“I’ll see you in the morning then,” Harry said fading slightly as he disappeared to wherever he went when he wasn’t in the house.

“Yea, I’ll see you tomorrow,”Niall yawned, switching off the lights as he got into bed.

The next morning Niall was awoken, by a bright stream of light shining in through his open curtains.

“Wakey wakey,” came a sing songy voice, from just above his head. Niall jumped, surprised because he lived alone, panicking he pulled the sheets up, trying to figure out how the person had gotten in. When he caught sight of Harry though, he began to calm down, remembering the vents of yesterday; from the strange writing on the mirror, to the impromptu grocery shopping, everything playing back in slow motion, seeming more like a dream than a memory.

“Well get out of bed then, your breakfast isn’t going to make itself,” Harry sang, too cheerful for this time of the day. Speaking of time, 

“Isn’t it like 6 in the morning, why am I up so early in the morning, it’s summer. If I wanted to get up this early I would have signed up for a summer job,”Niall groaned,his voice raspy as he rubbed his eyes in attempt to wake himself up.

Harry rolled his eyes, amused at Niall’s dramaticness.

“It’s actually 8 am you baby, come on, get up,” He teased throwing a pilow at Niall as he chuckled. 

Niall threw his legs over the side of the bed, slowly making his way out of the bed.

“I’m gonna shower first if that’s alright with you, ghost guru.”

“Yea go for it, I’ll just wait in the kitchen, you know… set things up.”Harry drifted off, heading to the kitchen to go set up the ingredients from last night. Harry drifted around the kitchen, picking out the ingredients he needed while Niall took a shower and got dressed. By the time Niall was done, Harry had arranged everything neatly on the counters. Niall walked in, taing in the scene before him. There laid out on the counter were slices of brown bread, a bowl of shredded lettuce, some cheese, tomatoes,apples, carrots and a … blender?

“What’s the blender for?” Niall asked, perplexed. 

“Well you’ve got to drink something with your sandwich right?”

Niall looked at Harry, clearly not understanding what he was getting at. 

“I was just gonna grab a coke you know.”

“You can’t drink a coke with your sandwich,” Harry gasped, offended that Niall would even suggest such a thing.

“You have to drink something healthy to go with your healthy sandwich of course. You have to go big or go home when it comes to health.”

“Christ, next thing you know, you’ll have me going on one of those juice cleanse things,”

Harry paused, scoffing as he tried to play off the probability. As much as Haryy wanted to deny it though, Niall was right. Harry was going to find a way to put Niall on a juice cleanse.

“That’s irrelevant, right now we need to focus on breakfast. You make your sandwich while I clean the carrots and apples and get them ready to be juiced.”

The sandwich didn’t take long to prepare, after all, it was just a simple lettuce, cheese and tomato sandwich. When Niall was done, he leaned against the counter, watching as Harry washed the carrots and apples, slicing the tops off the carrots, and diced the apples. He watched as Harry carefully sliced them, seeing the knife followed his fingers, as he sliced down the carrots; holding his breath when the knife came dauntingly close to his fingers even though he knew the knife couldn’t hurt him. He moved is eyes up to his face, admiring how his face screwed up in concentration, his tongue poking out from the corner of his mouth; the way his eyes seemed to focus, following the path of the knife as he cut the apples into almost perfect cubes. Niall couldn’t believe that Harry wasn’t real.Everything about him seemed so real, and Niall couldn’t stop himself from asking.

“So if you’re not real, how do you.. you know hold stuff and move stuff or whatever,”

Harry looked up, breaking his focus.”I was actually wondering when you were ask that,” he said wiping his hands on his jeans.

“Well I actually don’t know, as I said, I died like two sumers ago and I kind of just drift around. I can reveal myself to people though, but the rest of the stuff is just me going with the flow.”

Harry finished off cutting up the carrots and apples,and Niall plugged in the blender, as Harry pushed them into the machine. 

“Make sure to put the lid on before you switch on the blender,”Hary reminded Niall, putting things away. 

“Okay, okay,” Niall huffed, putting the lid on and switching it on. Niall watched the blender, seeing the apples and carrots mixing together mesmerized as the food liquidised, only feeling slightly startled when he felt the breeze from Harry coming to stand next to him, as they waited for the mixture to become smooth.When the drink was ready, Harry poured it into a glass for Niall, raising his eyebrows when he saw the look of dismay on Niall’s face. 

“I’m not drinking that,” Niall whined, scrunching his face up at the thick liquid.

“Why not?” Harry asked, genuinely confused.

“It’s carrot and apple, that sounds gross Harry can’t I just swap this for a glass of water or something please,”Niall pleaded, the desperation clear in his voice.

“No. Look, I know it sounds gross but it’s really good for your hair, I swear.”

“Is that why your hair looks so good,”Niall smirked, gesturing towards Harry’s hair.Harry did an exaggerated hair flip, batting his eyelids and acting bashful, clearly amused and flattered by Niall’s compliment. 

“Look, drink it, and take a bite of your sandwich when you feel it’s getting too sweet. The cheese, and lettuce taste should outweigh the carrot and apple.”

Niall raised his eyebrows, impressed with Harry’s knowledge of the health food world.

“Wow you’re a proper expert aren’t you,”

“Well I don’t like to brag,” Harry said, his chest seeming to puff out “but I do know quite a bit.”

Niall took the first sip of the smoothie, feeling pleasantly surprised at how sweet it was. He had expected it to taste weird, but it wasn’t too bad actually.Harry watched him, a smug look on his face,

“See, it’s not so bad. Now hurry up and finish your breakfast. We need to clean up and then I’m gonna help you make the best casserole on this side of the world.”

Niall laughed, not at all surprised by Harry’s belief in how good a cook he was. 

“Okay, but as long as you watch TV with me after. I mean, if you’re gonna show me this new, exciting side of life, I can share some of my favourite shows with you.”

“Alright that’s a deal,”Harry said, drifting over to the couch and leaving a space for Niall. 

“So let’s get right to it,” Niall said, putting in DVD and joining Harry on the couch. 

This was to be the first of many binge watching sessions where they would bond over the pros and ( according to Harry, very few) cons of going on juice cleanses, pop culture and of coursefind out more about each other as Harry, shared about his past life and Niall showed Harry what it was like to live now.


End file.
